Welcome to my blog! I’m so glad you asked about changing your airport color in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Customizing your island is one of the best parts of the game, so let’s dive into the details of whether or not you can change that iconic airport color.
What is the Airport in ACNH?
The airport is the gateway to your island in ACNH. It’s located on the south coast, and this is where visitors will fly in to visit your island. The airport is run by Orville, who will help arrange flights for you to visit mystery islands or the islands of friends. The airport itself is a small building with an iconic red roof. The interior and exterior have a simple design with the airport code printed on walls and the floor. This airport code is randomly generated for each island.
Default Airport Colors
When you first start designing your island, you will notice that the airport comes in one of four default colors:
- Green
- Orange
- Blue
- Yellow
The color you get is randomly selected when your island is generated. You do not get to choose which of these default colors your airport will be.
Can You Change the Default Airport Color?
Unfortunately, there is currently no way to change your airport from its default color in the standard Switch game. The airport color is set when you first create your island and cannot be altered after that point.
You may have seen images online of airports in different colors like pink, purple, black, etc. However, these are only possible through hacking and modding the game. There are no legitimate methods within the base game to customize the airport color.
This is disappointing for many players who get stuck with an airport color they don’t like. Hopefully in future updates, Nintendo will add the ability to customize or change the airport color after already establishing your island.
Why Can’t You Change the Airport Color?
There are a few potential reasons why Nintendo has not yet added the option to change your airport color:
- The airport color is tied to your island data and changing it may cause technical issues.
- Nintendo wants the airport color to be a permanent, fundamental part of your island identity.
- Adding color customization would require significant programming work for a small cosmetic change.
- Nintendo worries that allowing airport color changes could promote hacking and modding the game.
While these may be valid concerns, many players feel the inability to customize the airport is overly restrictive. As an airport plays a central role in the island landscape, most players want control over its appearance.
Workarounds
While you can’t officially change the airport color, there are some workarounds players have come up with to creatively work with the default colors:
Match Your Island Theme
Choose an island theme that fits with the airport color you were randomly given. For example, if you have a yellow airport, give your island a desert or beachy look. Make the color feel intentional.
Hide the Airport
Use fencing, buildings, trees, and cliffs around your airport to mostly obscure it from view. This way the color is less noticeable.
Decorate the Interior
While you can’t change the exterior, you can decorate the inside of the airport with custom designs and items in any color palette you want.
Use Custom Designs
Create QR code path designs that lead up to your airport in a color scheme you prefer. This masks the actual airport color a bit.
These solutions help make the most of your default airport color, but many players still hope for official customization in future updates.
Should You Restart Your Island for a Different Airport Color?
Some players consider completely restarting their island just to get a different default airport color. But is it worth is?
Pros of Restarting for Color
- Get a fresh start with a color you like
- New island layouts and residents
- replay early game progression
Cons of Restarting for Color
- Lose all progress and items
- Re-collecting furniture and DIYs is tedious
- Favorite residents may not move back
- No guarantee the new color will be any better
Overall, restarting your entire island just for a different airport color is extreme. The airport can always be worked around, so focus instead on the parts of your island you can control.
Airport Color Popularity
Some airport colors are considered more desirable by players. Here is an overview of airport color popularity from most to least popular:
| Airport Color | Popularity Level |
|---|---|
| Blue | Most Popular |
| Black | Very Popular |
| Brown | Popular |
| Yellow | Moderately Popular |
| Green | Less Popular |
| Orange | Least Popular |
As you can see, the blue airport is considered the most sought-after color. Black airports are also very desirable, even though they can only be obtained through hacking. On the other end, orange airports tend to be the least liked.
Airport Color Meanings
Some players assign special meanings to each airport color in ACNH:
| Airport Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Blue | Peaceful, refreshing, water |
| Yellow | Happy, beach, sunshine |
| Green | Nature, life, growth |
| Orange | Creativity, fun, energy |
While meanings are subjective, they can help inspire ideas when working with your airport color.
Modding and Hacking for Custom Airport Colors
Through various modding and hacking techniques, players have been able to customize their airport colors with options beyond the default hues.
However, I do not recommend attempting to mod or hack ACNH. Not only is it against Nintendo’s terms, but improperly modding your Switch can risk damaging your device and save data.
Some examples of airport colors only attainable through mods include:
- Pink
- Purple
- White
- Black
- and many more
While enticing, getting these colors legitimately involves taking real financial and progress risks. It’s best to work within the confines of the base game for a safe and uncompromised experience.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, you cannot change your airport color after the initial island set-up process in standard Animal Crossing: New Horizons. While many players wish we could customize this central building, the workaround is getting creative with designing areas around the default colors we are stuck with.
Hopefully in the future Nintendo will provide official methods for altering your airport color, but for now try making the most of what you have access to. Focus on all the parts of your island you can control, and don’t restart your whole game just for a different airport hue!
With some clever decorating tactics and patience, your unique airport can become a charming part of your island identity. What color is your airport? Let me know in the comments how you’ve worked with your default color scheme!
